Rap Sheet
Links on R&P from around the web
Miami Faith Community Strains to Help New Exiles, Migrants
posted on March 7, 2023Giovanna Dell’Orto of the Associated Press reports that Miami churches are stepping up to support new immigrants as the city’s social safety net has been pushed to its limit with the growing number of new arrivals. Sister Consuelo Gómez said, “Jesus also was a migrant. We try to help so that they can get ahead on their own.” Churches are providing shelter for migrants and hosting events to teach them about the asylum application process.
Biden Administration Seeks to Rescind Trump-Era Rule About Faith on Campus
posted on March 7, 2023Adelle M. Banks of Religion News Service reports that the Department of Education plans to rescind a Trump-era rule that bars public colleges from receiving federal grants if they violate the First Amendment rights of religious student groups. Rachel Laser, the president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said in a statement, “Rescinding the harmful Trump rule means students won’t be forced to subsidize clubs that discriminate against them.” Proponents of the rule claim that it is necessary to protect students of faith on public campuses while opponents argue that the protection is unnecessary, given that students of faith are protected by the First Amendment regardless of the policy.
Ex-Cardinal McCarrick Tells Massachusetts Court He’s Incompetent for Trial
posted on February 28, 2023Douglas Moser and Michelle Boorstein of The Washington Post report, “Five years after allegations of child sex abuse against then-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick first surfaced and rocked the U.S. Catholic Church, attorneys for McCarrick, 92, said Monday that he’s no longer mentally competent to stand trial and that the charges should be dismissed.” McCarrick has been accused of sexual misconduct by nearly 20 people, though this trial represents the only opportunity for criminal prosecution given the statutes of limitations of the other cases. Mitchell Garabedian, the accuser’s attorney for civil cases, said, “It’s not unusual for defendants to prolong a case so that memories fade, victims disappear, and witnesses become worn out. This will not happen in this matter.”
How Big Christian Nationalism Has Come Courting in Northern Idaho
posted on February 28, 2023Jack Jenkins of Religion News Service reports, “Amid ongoing national debate over Christian nationalism, North Idaho offers a window at what actually trying to manifest a right-wing vision for a Christian America can look like — and the power it can wield in state politics.” The uptick in Christian, far-right candidates for public office in Idaho has been fueled by what has been dubbed the American Redoubt, an exodus from more liberal states to the region. Alicia Abbott, who works with the liberal Idaho 97 Project, said, “It’s an issue across the state now that we have to deal with, these really bombastic political actors.”
A Christian Health Nonprofit Saddled Thousands With Debt as It Built a Family Empire Including a Pot Farm, a Bank and an Airline
posted on February 28, 2023Ryan Gabrielson and J. David McSwane of ProPublica report that Liberty HealthShare, a Christian healthcare sharing ministry owned by the Beers family, has defrauded its customers by funneling consumer payments into at least 35 other companies owned by the same family. They write, “For generations, members of the Beers family of Canton, Ohio, have used Christian faith to sell health coverage to more than a hundred thousand people.” They continue, “Instead they delivered pain, debt and financial ruin.” The Beers family has been investigated several times by state and federal authorities but has faced few consequences and continues to operate Liberty HealthShare. They deny any wrongdoing.
“They Can’t Attack Me. Now They’re Coming After Kids.”
posted on February 28, 2023For Politico Magazine, Kathy Gilsinan interviews Greg Razer, the only openly gay member of the Missouri State Senate, about the chamber’s proposed bills targeting transgender children. State senators have introduced bills to prevent trans children from playing on the sports team of their preferred gender and bills to halt gender-affirming healthcare. Razer said, “They’ve run out of ways to attack me as a gay, white man. I’ve won. But they still have to have a boogeyman. They still have to be able to divide the population. They can’t attack me anymore. So now they’re coming after kids.”
Poll: Support for Abortion Rights Is Strong, Even Among Most Religious Groups
posted on February 28, 2023Yonat Shimron of Religion News Service reports that a new poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that a majority of religious Americans support abortion rights. White evangelicals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Latter-day Saints, and Hispanic Protestants were exceptions to the finding. Shimron writes, “Only a third of Americans say their religious beliefs dictate their views of abortion.” The survey also found widespread rejection of a proposed federal abortion ban, with only 12 percent of respondents supporting the bill’s passage.
Southern Baptists Oust Saddleback Church Over Woman Pastor
posted on February 28, 2023Peter Smith of the Associated Press reports, “The Southern Baptist Convention on Tuesday ousted its second-largest congregation – Saddleback Church, the renowned California megachurch founded by pastor and best-selling author Rick Warren – for having a woman pastor.” The SBC Executive Committee severed ties with four other congregations for female leadership during the same session. Andy Wood, the lead pastor of Saddleback and husband of the female pastor, said, “The church should be a place where both men and women can exercise those spiritual gifts.”
Nikki Haley’s South Asian Heritage Is Historic Part of Her Presidential Campaign
posted on February 21, 2023Zohreen Shah of ABC reports, “With her announcement this week that she is running for president, Nikki Haley has made a bit of history again—becoming the first prominent woman of color to seek the Republican nomination.” Haley’s parents are from India, and she was raised Sikh before she converted to Christianity. Sara Sadhwani, an assistant professor of politics at Pomona College, said, “We see South Asians who have largely been on the outskirts of American politics in many ways. This is a moment where we’re seeing South Asians step into the limelight.”
When Parents Hear That Their Child “Is Not Normal and Should Not Exist”
posted on February 21, 2023For The New York Times, Megan K. Stack profiles Missouri families with transgender children, as the state legislature considers bills that would ban gender-affirming medical care. Russel and Rori Picker Neiss, the parents of a transgender boy, both take inspiration from their Jewish faith to fight for their son’s medical care. Mr. Neiss cites the Jewish principle of pikuach nefesh, the preservation of human life over other obligations, to support his decision. Mrs. Neiss said, “I’m not advocating that every child should get every procedure they want. I can’t speak for every single family. All I’m saying is that the government shouldn’t be deciding.”